Back muscle and cartilage injuries, especially in the lower lumbar region of the back are relatively common. Such injuries are especially common in individuals who, for one reason or another, have failed to maintain the conditioning and tone of the muscles which support the lower back. These muscles, the spinal erectors and hip flexor must be maintained in reasonable condition if such muscle and cartilage injuries are to be protected against.
Additionally, once injury has occurred, healing can be promoted by increasing the flow of blood to the injured muscles and the areas surrounding the injury. Unfortunately, the number and density of blood vessels in the lower back area is relatively low. However, exercise is believed by many to stimulate increased blood flow. A draw back to most forms of exercise is the risk or tendency of hyperextension of the already injured muscles thereby aggravating the injury rather than promoting healing of the muscles, cartilage and surrounding tissues.
There have been a number of attempts to exercise the back and other body parts to increase muscle tone and stimulate the flow of blood to muscles and tissues: U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,234 to Forsythe discloses a back exercise apparatus which includes one section in which the user lies on his side, and a second section attached to the users legs which the user rotates about a vertical axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,445 to Winkelvoss describes an exercise machine which includes a horizontal torso support from which the legs hang vertically downward. The user then lifts his legs to the horizontal to exercise the lower back.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,120,954 to Apostol discloses an exercise apparatus including a table having a weight bar pendulum attached to one end.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,962 to Krause describes a posture treatment apparatus which includes a platform for supporting the users torso in a perpendicular relationship to his legs.
However, none of the previous attempts have met the exercise needs of individuals who have already sustained lower back injuries or whose lower back areas are too out-of-condition to be able to withstand rigorous exercise. In order for exercise to be of value, it must progressively increase in intensity. A common method of increasing the intensity of an exercise is through the use of increased resistance from static weight additions. However, adding weight to an exercise can increase the hyperextension of lower back muscles. Therefore, weight training is not generally recommended for those suffering from lower back muscles, tissue and cartilage injuries.
Therefore, there is a need for a method of exercise and an exercise apparatus that avoids hyperextension of lower back muscles while providing for conditioning and muscle tone, and which can increase local blood circulation to injured muscles and tissues in the lower back. There is also a need for an exercise which can permit progressive intensity of the work out to strengthen lower back muscles, tissues and provide increased blood flow to those areas.